Not Applicable
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a new and novel apparatus for cleaning showers and bathtubs.
2. Background Information
The surfaces of showers and bathtubs collect soap scum and are susceptible to the buildup of mold and mildew. Due to health and sanitary concerns, such surfaces often require daily cleaning.
In the past, the task of cleaning such surfaces has nearly exclusively been accomplished by application of a cleaner and scrubbing by hand. As a result of the increasing cost of manual labor, attempts have been made to improve the cleaning operation of these showers and bathtubs. Such attempts have included the design of complicated cleaning systems that connect to, and draw water from, the piping system that supplies water to the shower or bathtub.
Representative U.S. patents showing apparatus for cleaning shower or bathtub surfaces are: U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,230,550; 4,383,341; 4,872,225; 4,974,310; 5,431,180; 5,452,485.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,230,550, the invention consisted of a shower stall which used nozzles located along the floor of a shower to clean the bottom surface of the shower. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,383,341 and 4,974,310 involved a series of spring-loaded nozzles located along the walls of the bathtub that are connected to the water supply piping to spray the sides of the bathtub. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,872,225, the cleaning system used a pipe with nozzles, connected to the water supply header and arranged in a closed-loop configuration in the upper portion of the shower enclosure, to spray liquid against the surface of the shower enclosure. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,431,180, the invention prevented the inadvertent introduction of disinfectant into the water supply piping in a cleaning system that utilized the existing water mains in a shower or bathtub. In Pat. No. 5,452,485, the invention was a gliding tub and shower device that utilized brushes that were positioned along a movable track to scrub the walls of the tub or shower.
However, these systems have not gained commercial acceptance due to their expense and cumbersome installation and use. In particular, each of the inventions previously discussed requires a connection to the existing shower or bathtub water supply piping. Accordingly, there is an unsolved need for a self-cleaning system which is economical, easy to install, and easy to use for cleaning showers and bathtubs and which does not require any connection to the water supply system for the shower or bathtub.
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the existing apparatus for cleaning bathtubs and showers, the present invention provides an apparatus that is easy and economical to use and requires no connection to the water supply piping of the bathtub or shower.
The present invention will automatically spray clean the walls of a bathtub or shower enclosure. The invention discharges cleaning fluid through nozzles that are either adjusted or positioned for optimum surface coverage. The main body of the invention can be hidden from view or positioned in the shower or bathtub enclosure such that it is visible to the user. The invention will run for several cleaning cycles before it needs any refilling of cleaning fluid. The invention can be actuated locally or by remote means.
It is a first object of the invention to provide an apparatus that will automatically clean, a bathtub or shower stall without the arduous hand labor that is normally involved.
Another object of the invention is to eliminate the expensive and time-consuming hand labor that is typically involved in the cleaning and sanitation of a bathtub and shower enclosure.
It is a further object of the invention to have a device that can be installed as an integral part of a new bathtub or shower enclosure or easily and cheaply installed as a retrofit into existing bathtubs or shower enclosures.
It is a further object of the invention to have a cleaning device that is easy to install and operate, with low maintenance, and able to operate for several cycles before requiring human intervention.